It's normal to have an anime waifu, says study

A recent survey by Polygon has shed light on the growing prominence of anime in American popular culture. The entertainment website surveyed more than 4,000 American adults to find out the growing influence of anime and its presence in various aspects of American entertainment. Released this week, the analysis highlights the power of the genre to resonate with audiences of all ages.

According to the survey, only 3% of Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) engage with anime on a weekly basis, but a staggering 42% of Gen Z participants (people born between 1996 and 2012) actively immerse themselves. in the genre on a regular basis. These findings indicate that anime has overtaken established cultural benchmarks like the NFL among younger audiences.

The survey highlights the diversity of the fan base, reflecting a broader representation of ethnicities and sexual orientations in the American population. African Americans make up 17% of the anime fan audience, surpassing their representation in the general population, while 27% of anime fans identify as LGBTQ+. Asian Americans, who comprise 10% of the surveyed audience, are most pronounced among Generation Z (13% are Asian) and continue with Baby Boomers (10%), surprisingly surpassing Generation X (8%).

The survey also reveals the deep emotional resonance that anime has for its viewers. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z anime enthusiasts express a stronger emotional connection to anime than traditional media, citing rich plots and character depth as key factors. The survey indicates that 44% of anime fans admit to having had a crush on an anime character at some point.

Regular viewers report primarily consuming anime from mainstream platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, although Crunchyroll and Funimation are also making a significant impact despite their smaller user bases. Among Gen Z viewers, Crunchyroll emerges as the second most popular platform. More than half of Gen Z anime fans recognize its impact on their daily habits, from fashion choices to social interactions. This influx reflects the cultural importance previously attributed to iconic shows like “Friends.”

The most striking data from the survey reveals that 44% of anime fans admit to having had “a crush” on animated characters at some point. This discovery has sparked a lively debate among fans on social media, where they share their experiences and opinions about “falling in love” with anime characters. The community is openly expressing how these emotional connections impact their appreciation of the genre and how these experiences form an integral part of their relationship with anime:

" I also have a crush on many characters ."
« What do you mean by “crush”? Makima and I are happily married .
" I'm part of that 44 percent, and it's surely growing ."
« Those people should get out of the house and meet someone. I wouldn't be surprised if some get to marry life-size figures or something like that .
" And the rest are people who refuse to accept that they were ever attracted to any anime character, obviously ."
" I'm not going to lie to you, I usually make fun of people who have this kind of behavior, but sometimes I also make fun of an anime girl ."
« Only 44 percent? I have the feeling that many lied on that question .
« Yes, I admit that I like girls like that, but I will never do it for Makima .»
" I doubt it, the percentage must be higher than 90 percent if real anime fans were surveyed ."
" And that's why most of them are still single and afraid to talk to a real girl ."
« That type of demographic is what gave the anime industry and its fans a bad name. And now that they exhibit them, it seems that they feel proud .
« And what did you expect? Have you ever seen the way those girls dress? Keep drawing sexy girls with big tits and the world will be left without children .